Broom-sewing machine



June 29 1926. 1,590,483 R. K. THOMSON BROOM SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 29,1926. 1,590,483

R. K. THOMSON v BROOM SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 23, 1925 W/"ZFEH- B Sheets-Sheet 2 June 29 1926.

R. K. THOMSON BROOM SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 a Inlllllll g EQ i @r- Ralph Rug- 53 1 Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATE...

RALPH K. THOMSOZQT, OF SEOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

BRooM-snwI'Ne MACHINE.

Application filed September 23, 1925. Serial No. 58,153.

This invention relates to improvements in broom sewing machines.

The primary object of this invention 1s the provision of a broom sewing machine embodying novel means for regulating the lengths of the stitches as the broom is being sewed.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel improvement in broom sewing machines by means of which the stitches may be shortened at the sides of the broom, during the sewing operation, in order to provide a more durable and a better broom, with greater economy, than can be provided with existing broom sewing machines.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for automatically short ening the stitches at the sides of the broom, as the broom is being sewed, in order to provide a novel type of broom sewing, with the stitches in more closely spaced and'reinforcing relation upon the broom where the greatest strain occurs.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a broom sewing machine embodying a novel attachment which renders short stitches at the side edges of the broom ractical' which more firml anchors the ends of the string and prevents the same from wearing loose; which enables a closer sewlng of the stitch to the edge of the broom without splitting the band, and without runi ning the sewing into the machine frame.

. Gther objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corre sponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved broom sewing machine. showing only the upper part thereof, with the novel attachment features.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional type of broom sewing machine with the improved attachment thereon for regulating the spacing of the broom stitches during the sewing operation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view showing certain novel adjustable stop mechanism for-the step by step vise feed of the broom sewing machine.

Figure 4c is a fragmentary perspective View showing certain novel features for regulating the step by step feed of the vise which holds the broom, in order to control the length of the individual stitches of the sewing.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View, partly in section, showing novel details of the frame, vise, and step by step feed mechanism, with the improved automatically operated stop for regulating the latter.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing the opposite side of the step by step feed mechanism from that illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing thenovel cam and guide arrangement for automatically controlling the length of movement of the step by step feed for the broom supporting vise.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing I the side of the stop controlling cam bar opposite to that illustrated 111 Figure 7.

F lgure 9 1s a fragmentary sectional view showing a manually operated adjustable step by step feed control.

Figures 10 and 11 are views of brooms illustrating the novel stitching which may be accomplished with the improved broom sewing machine and its automatically operating attachments.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved broom sewing machine, which may comprise a stationary supporting frame B; vise and broom supporting mechanism C; sewing mechanism D; step by step feed mechanism E for the vise C; and means F for automatically varying the length of movement of the step by step feed mechanism as it transversally moves the vise C, to accomplish the shortening or lengthening of the stitching as the broom is being sewed.

In the main, the machine A comprises conventional features known to those skilled in the art relating to broom sewing, and the constructional features of this machine A, with the exception of the novel means F to control the length of the stitches as the broom is being sewed, and certain means to be subsequently described for controlling the thread at the looper, are shown in Patent No. 825,402, granted July 10, v1906, and

Patent 1,071,332, granted August 26, 1913. These patents will be subsequently referred to in connection with conventional features of the broom sewing machine A.

As described in the patents above referred to, the frame A includes the standards 10 and 11, with suitable parts rigid or integral therewith, such as the top plates 12. The broom supporting vise C comprises the two pivotally mounted jaws 13 and l i, adapted to grip the broom so that the portion of the broom to be sewn may project thereabove. Between these jaws 13 and 1 1 is arranged the conventional vertically adjustable broom support or carrier (not shown). To give a general idea of the working features, the vise after clamping the broom K therein is moved step by step by the means E. The thread is drawn through the upwardly projectin portion of the broom l"; by means of needles 15 reciprocated by suitable means at opposite sides of the broom, and actuated as specifically described in Patent No. 825,et02, above referred to.

The vise C moves transversally between the reciprocating needles, and the broom support or carrier within the vise C is raised to the desired height by suitable means described in the patents aforesaid, in order to elevate the broom to the position for the successive lines of stitching of the broom.

Referring to the operation of the step by step vise feed mechanism E, a lower feed bar 30 has its forward end connected in any suitable manner at 31 to the vise construction C. The rear end of this bar 30 extends through a clamping box 32, in which it is engaged by a clamping jaw 33, of the nature set forth in the Patent 825,4i02, above referred to. This jaw 33 is periodically clamped on the bar 30 by means of pressure created by action of a cam lever 34., which at the lower end thereof has a roller 35 engaging over a suitable cam (not shown), of the operating mechanism of the conven tional structure of broom sewing machines, as they are understood in the art. Above the bar ,30 a second or upper feed bar 36 is spac d parallel with the lower bar 30, and the game also passes through the box 32 where it is periodically clamped by means of a clamp 37 similar to the clamp 33, and operated by means of a cam lever 38 having a cam roller 39 on the lower end thereof engaging a suitable cam operating mechanism described in the patent above re ferred to.

The feed bars 30 and 36 are pivotally connected at the ends of a lever arm 10 of a bell crank lever 41, at pivot points 42 and 43 respectively, and the other arm portion 1 1 of the bell crank lever 4-1 is adapted to cooperate with a vertically oscillating member l5, which is suitably connected in an operating relation to the drive structure of the machine A, not shown in the drawings, but of conventional structure as set forth in the patent above mentioned.

The feed bars 30 and 36 are alternately clamped by their clamping means 33 and 37, and as is well known, when the bar 36 is released a spring 4:8 pushes the upper feed bar forward until it is arrested by an adjustable stop member 49, and this movement carries an adjustable stop pin 50, of the bar 36, away from a bracket or lug 5 1 on the bar 30. After this occurs the vertical oscillating or reciprocating mechanism 15 moves the bell crank lever 4-1 on its pivot 43, and due to the fact that the bar 36 is then gripped by its clamp 33, the post connections of the bell crank lever will cause the bar 30 to move forwardly a'step until the lug 51 engages the adjustable stop 50. During this operation the spring 48 is of course again tensioned, since this spring is carried in a suitable casing supported by a bracket arm 55 at the free end of the feed bar 30. The operation is again repeated, and the bar 36 upon release of its clamp 37 again is moved a step to engage the adjustable stop l9. In this connection it should be noted that the adjustable stop 49 moves when the lower feed bar 30 moves.

As to the conventional features of the op-. eration of the stop member 49, means is provided, as set forth in Patent 1,071,232, above mentioned, to adjust this stop member 19 according to the thickness of the broom being sewed. The stop construction for the feed bar 36 is preferably made in sections 49 and 60, the same being of cylindrical like formation, and having cam en.- gaging faces spiralled t-hereabout, or formed oblique to the axis of said sections as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. Section 60 is mounted in stationary manner upon a rod or tube 61, and this rod 61 is of course movable with the vise. The section 1-9, on the other hand, may be mounted in any approved manner for rotation about the axis of the rod 61, after the detailed manner set forth in Patent 1,071,332 above mentioned. The stop member or section 19 is provided with an arm 63 rigid or integral therewith and extending radially therefrom, and to this arm 63 is connected one end of an arcuate connecting link 6%, as at 65. The opposite end of the link 64 is carried with a loose or sliding connection upon a pin or bar 66 mounted in a bifurcated forked end 67 of an arm 63, said arm 68 being rigidly connected in any approved manner upon a rocking sleeve 70.

The rocking sleeve 7 O is oscillatively mounted upon a preferably horizontal supporting rod 71, and this sleeve at its opposite end from the arm 68 is provided with a radial arm 7 3 having a pin 74 engaging in a slot 75 of a connecting link 76. The connecting link 76 opposite the slot-ted end is pivoted at 78 to the lower end of a lever 79, which is pivoted intermediate its ends at 80. The upper end of the lever 79 has a slidable connection at 81 with a bar 82 of the vise mechanism C.

The above description of the stop mecha nism in the main is conventional. Normally, the rocking sleeve is acted upon by a powerful spring 85, which connects between the pin 78 and the end of the arm 73, normally tending to hold the sleeve 70 so i that the arm thereof pulls the stop member 49 towards the same to enable a maximum step movement of the bar 36, and this action of the spring 85 holds the pin 74 in the lower end of the slot 75. It is readily obvious that upon insertion of a broom be tween the jaws 13 and 14 as illustrated in Figure 1, due to the pivotal movement of said jaws away from each other, the lever 79 will be rocked upon its pivot 80 to draw theconnecting link 7 6 downwardly until the pin 74 engages the top of the slot thereof, and thus to rock the sleeve 70 in order to move the arm 68 thereof, and consequently rotate the stop member 49. Due to its cam engagement with the member or section 60, the stop member 49 is enabled to have a longitudinal movement along the axis of the rod 61, to space the outer stop surface thereof a proper distance from the lug 51 of the feed bar 36, to enable a proper step movement, for the production of a stitch of proper length, according to the thickness of the broom.

In conformity with an object of this invention, namely, that of sewing the stitches of the broom so that in each cross line of stitching the stitches are spaced closer together at the finishing side or both of the sides of the broom than the stitches in the middle' of each line of stitching, I prefer to first place a manually operated means to efiect this type of stitching, by providing a manually operated lever or arm 90, keyed or otherwise connected in any approved manner upon the rocking sleeve 70, and which the operator may engage with his hand and press downwardly thereon for the purpose of rotating or moving the stop member 49 in order to place the same for the proper degree of movement of the upper feed bar 36. The lever 90 carries an adjusting screw 91 which may be adjusted properly in the lever 90 for engagement with a portion 92 of a part of the frame of the casing, or other detail, in order to limit the motion which may be given the stop member 49, to control the closely spaced stitches. When using solely the manual means 90, the same is of course not pressed down or operated during normal length stitching, but when the close stitching is desired at the sides of the broom, merely by pressing down on the lever 90, it is obvious that the stop member 49 may be moved toward the stop lug 51 of the feed bar 36 to decrease the step motion of the latter.

In order to maintain a proper relation of the cam like sections 49 and of the stop mechanism, I prefer to provide a spring 95 connected at one end upon the top of the section 60 and at its opposite end suitably connected to the end of the connecting link 64, and the purpose of which spring is to draw the cam edges of the members or sections 49 and 60 into abutting engagement. I also prefer to provide a spiral spring 97 upon the pin 66 supported at the bifurcated end of the rocker arm 68, and this spring 97 at one end to engage a finger of the forked end 67 and at its opposite end engages agalnst a side of the connecting link 64 to urge the latter in a. direction whereby to move the member 49 toward the stop member 60 with which it cooperates and cause a relative angular movement which will space the stop member 49 at the greatest distance from the lug 51 of the feed bar 36, as is permitted by the section 60 of the stop.

Referring to the means for automatically varying the length of the stitches as the broom is being sewed, a cam supporting plate, bar, or member 100 is attached, as at 102, to any approved part of the frame of the machine A, but preferably to a standard 10 thereof at the inner side thereof facing the rocker arm 68. This supporting memher 100 projects as its ends beyond the standard 10, and at said ends is provided with longitudinally aligning slots 103 therein, although in lieu of the slots at each end of the member 100 a series of openings may be provided. Arcuate cam plates, strips, or members 105 and 106 are secured at opposite ends of the plate 100, at the inner side thereof, as by means of clamping screws or other supporting members 107, which ad. justably extend through the slots 103 and are provided at their rear ends with wing shaped or other clamping nuts 109. The spacing of the cam shaped members 105 and 106 is definite, in accordance with the width between the short stitches at each of the sidesof the type of broom which is being sewed. The cam shaped members 105 and 106, of course, project forwardly of the inner face of the member 100 which supports the same, and the cam surfaces of these members 105 and 106 preferably merge or slope into the inner face of the plate 100.

Upon the rocker arm 68 is placed, as by clamping, an adjustable armor extension 115, which is adjustably clamped to said arm 68, as at 116. At the free end the extension 115 supports a roller 117 in the path to roll over theinner side of the memn I u 1 her or plate 100, and in path to roll upon the cam surfaces of the cam members 105 and 106.

It is readily apparent that when the roller 11'? rides from the plate 100 onto either of the cams 105 or 106, the rockcruarm 68 will be pushed away from the plate 100, thus rocking the rock r sleeve, and through the connecting linl: 64: causing a rotational movement of the stop member 4-9, in order to move the same longitudinally of the rod 61, toward the stop lug 51 of the step bar 66, for the purpose of shortening the movement which the step bar 36 may have, and which of course determines the length of the short stitches at the side portions of the broom, as is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 of the drzmrings.

As to the broom K, illustrated in Figure 10, the lines of stitching 120 thereof have the intermediate stitches 121 spaced of a normal length, whereas the side stitches 122 at the ends of the lines of stitching are looped about the band in a closer spaced relation than the stitches 121. Upon the fines: grade of broom K it is preferred that each side of the broom have the close stitches 22, but for other types, such as the type K il lustrated in Figure 11, the cl se stitches 122 may be provided at the finishing side of the broom only, in order to properly reinforce and hold the stitches in place to prevent the threads from working loose.

It is readily apparent from the foregoing that as the broom moves by means of the vise C, through the machine A, the same will be given the intermittent or step by step movement in synchronism with the sewing mechanism D in order to accom plish the stitching above mentioned. When it is de-siret to have the short stitch at both sides of the broom, both cam plates 105 and 106 are used, but when it is uesired to stitch only the finishing side of the broom one of these cam plates is removed, as is readily apparent. The device is absolutely automatic in operation, in so far as the variable length of stitching upon the broom, during the sewing operation, is concerned. Merely by shifting the cam plates 105 and 106 longitudinally of the plate 100 which supports the same, the shorter stitches 122 may be made to commence at any point along the width of the broom, to produce the type of broom desired. These cam plates 105 and 106 may of course be supplanted by other cam plates or members, of different length, and of different shape, in order to provide various spacing of the stitches during the individual broom sewing operation.

In the use of the improved automatic stitch shortening attachment, it has been found that when the stitch is decreased in length during the sewing operation, the end of the string adjacent the looper is caused to be swung back and forth. I overcome this by placing a thin piece of metal, or analogous material, to enclose the looper frame 125 rcarwardly of the eye 126 there'- of. This housing or enclosure 127 guards the looper arm 128 as it oscillates, and prevents loose threads, due to shortening of the stitch, from catching or gg the looper frame and the oscillating arm 128, as can readily be understood. This improved housing or support, or enclosure for the looper arm 128 is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings. Also, to overcome the forward snap of the string, due to short ening of the stitch, I provide a plate 130 upon the framework of the sewing mechanism, adjacent the'looper construction. The plate is preferably of heavy tin or analogous material, and is designated in Figures 2 and l of the drawings. Upon this plate at the forward ed e thereof is placed a piece of rubber or analogous material 131, shaped to form as a guide for the strin Various chan es in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the improved mechanisms herein shown and described, and to the form and stitching of the broom, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims.

1 claim:

1. In broom sewing machine the combination of a broom holder, a sewing mechanism, and means for effecting a relative transverse movement between the broom holder and sewing mechanism of a step by step nature with steps of shorter travel during the operation of the sewing mechanism at both of the sides of the broom than at the mid portions thereof.

2. In a broom sewing machine the combination with a suitable sewing mechanism. and a vise mounted to rock about a horizontal axis past the sewing mechanism, of means for imparting a step by step-move ment to the vise including an abutment movable with the vise and an intermittently movable slidable bar, an adjustable spacing device between said abutment and bar to determine the step movement of the latter, and means for automatically varying the adjustment of said spacing device as the sewing mechanism operates from stitching the intermediate portion of a broom to the side portion of the broom in order to shorten the stitches.

3. In a broom sewing mechanism of the class described a supporting frame, a sewing mechani m, a vise movable across the path of travel of the sewing mechanism, and a step by step feed mechanism for the vise including a slidable intermittently movable bar, a stop mechanism for regulating the length of travel of said bar including stationary and rotatable members having a cam sna ing between engagement, a rocker arm, means connecting the rocker arm with the rotatable mem ber of the stop mechanism, spring means urging the movable member of the cam into cam engagement with the stationary member thereof, and means for .auton'iatically rocking the rocker arm at a predetermined location in the travel of the vise to lengthen the stop mechanism and thereby shorten the step movement of the vise.

4. In a broom sewing mechanism of the class described a supporting frame, a sewing mechanism, a vise movable across the path of travel of the sewing mechanism, and a step by step feed mechanism for the vise including a slidable intermittently movable bar, a stop mechanism for regulating the length of travel of said bar including stationary and rotatable members having a cam engagement, a rocker arm, means connecting the rocker arm with the rotatable member of the stop mechanism, spring means urging the movable member of the cam into cam engagement with the stationary member thereof, a cam, and means connected with the rocker arm for operation over the last mentioned cam at a predetermined location in the travel of the vise to regulate the length of stitches being sewed in the broom carried by the vise.

5. In abroom sewing machine the combination of a supporting frame, a sewing mechanism including a needle, a vise mount ed to move across the operative travel of the needle of the sewing mechanism for sewing stitches in a broom supported by the vise, a step by step motion producing mechanism connected with the vise for intermittently moving the same in synchronism with the movement of the needle of the sewing mechanism, an adjustable stop for automatically regulating the length of the step movement of the vise, a support carried by the frame, a pair of spaced cam plates carried by the frame support, and means connected with the adjustable stop for operation across said pair of cam plates for causing shorter stitches to be sewed at the sides of a broom than at the intermediate portion of the broom.

6. In a broom sewing machine the combination of a supporting frame, a sewing mechanism, a vise, a step by step mechanism connected with the vise for moving the latter intermittently across the operative path of movement of the sewing mechanism,

said vise including an adjustable stop, and means for automatically varying the adjustable stop to shorten the step movement of the vise at a predetermined location of travel of the vise past the sewing mechanism.

7. In a broom sewing machine the com bination of a supporting frame, a sewing mechanism including needles, a broom sup porting vise, means for moving the vise across the operative travel of the needles of the sewing mechanism with a step by step movement, said means including an adjustable stop for varying the length of step movement of the vise, means for manually adjusting said adjustable stop to vary the step movement of the vise during a broom sewing operation, and means for automatically varying the step movement of the vise to shorten the stitches of the sewing mechanism, at a. predetermined location of seving on a broom.

8. In a broom sewing machine the combination of a supporting frame, a sewing mechanism, a broom supporting vise mount-- ed to move across the operative path of travel of the sewing mechanism, means for imparting a step by step movement to the vise to effect such movement across the path of travel of the sewing mechanism including a stationary member and an adjustable member having cam contact with the stationary member, means for normally holding the adjustable member in a set position during a broom sewing operation, and means to automatically shift the position of the adjustable member during a broom sewing operation to vary the length of stitches taken in the broom.

9. In a broom sewing machine the com bination of a supporting frame, a sewing mechanism, a broom supporting vise mounted to move across the zone of operation of the sewing mechanism, means for imparting a step by step movement to the vise to effect the movement of the broom across the zone of operation of the sewing mechanism, and means for automatically lessening the length of the step by step movement as the sewing mechanism is sewing at the side portion of the broom in order to render the stitches at the side of the broom shorter than those adjacent the central portion of the broom.

RALPH K. THOMSON. 

